Cameroon vs South Africa
Crypto regulation comparison
Cameroon
South Africa
Cameroon has no specific national cryptocurrency legislation. As a CEMAC member, COBAC issued a 2022 directive banning financial institutions from facilitating crypto transactions. BEAC opposes crypto regulation and does not recognize cryptocurrencies. Individual ownership is not explicitly banned but access via formal banking is restricted.
South Africa has embraced crypto regulation. In 2022, the FSCA declared crypto assets as financial products under the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services (FAIS) Act, requiring crypto service providers to obtain FSCA licenses. SARS taxes crypto gains under capital gains tax (up to 18% effective rate for individuals) or income tax depending on trading frequency. South Africa is the largest crypto market in Africa.
Key Points
- No specific national cryptocurrency legislation
- COBAC 2022 directive bans banks and payment providers from facilitating crypto transactions
- BEAC firmly opposes cryptocurrency regulation in the CEMAC region
- Part of the CEMAC monetary zone with the CFA franc
- Nearly 900,000 crypto users in Cameroon despite restrictive banking environment
Key Points
- Crypto declared a financial product under FAIS Act (2022); service providers must be FSCA-licensed
- FSCA began licensing crypto asset service providers (CASPs) in 2023
- Capital gains taxed at effective rate up to 18% (45% max marginal rate × 40% inclusion)
- Frequent trading may be classified as income and taxed at marginal rates (up to 45%)
- SARB regulates cross-border crypto transactions under exchange control regulations